Topics must admit that we hadn’t been paying too much attention to Simmons, who was raised in Newcastle and now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA.

But Newcastle Herald sports editor Robert Dillon grabbed our attention on Saturday when he wrote that Simmons was being compared to superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and LeBron James.

Making Headlines: Basketball star Ben Simmons on the cover of Men’s Health.

Then in one of those meaningful coincidences, we noticed Simmons on the magazine cover.

The article touched on the 21-year-old’s determined personality and ambition towinan NBA championship.

“You’ve got to set the bar high,” Simmons told Men’s Health.

“If you don’t set it high, you’re not aiming high enough, honestly. That’s the way I’ve thought since I came over here for high school.”

The article documented what Simmons had achieved in his career.

“The number one high school player in America – tick. The number one college player in America – tick. Selected number one in the 2016 NBA draft – tick. Now putting up historic rookie numbers to help propel the 76ers into the playoffs – tick.”